


Isn't it a shame (the good come with the bad)

by shipthemboys



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: AU, Confused boys, M/M, havent made it big yet, living in london
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-16
Updated: 2014-06-16
Packaged: 2018-02-04 22:35:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1795675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shipthemboys/pseuds/shipthemboys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When you're living with someone you can't stand and they can't stand you back isn't always easy. But why did the feelings have to get involved?</p><p>(or the one where Luke and Michael really hate each other until it starts raining and Michael is freezing)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Isn't it a shame (the good come with the bad)

**Author's Note:**

> I was listening to the EP and this idea came to mind and I just had to write it down. 
> 
> to: unicorn; who always listens to my weird ramblings.

Michael walked through the doors of their shared house with shopping bags in hand and kicked the door closes behind him. Laughter came from the living room and he made his way over, curious as to what was going on. And the fact that to get to the kitchen, he had to go through the living room. 

Coming around the corner, he saw his house mates Ashton and Calum, playing FIFA on the couch, elbowing each other and swearing. His own lips turned into a grin as he watched the scene in front of him until his eyes scanned further down and he saw Luke. With some blonde bimbo in his lap. Great. 

Saying his 'hi's,' Michael went past them all and finally reached the kitchen. Almost throwing the bags on the table, he rolled his eyes at the sounds coming from the other room. He could hear Luke laughing and knew that his girlfriend of the month probably said something funny. Whatever. It probably won't even last longer than three weeks. Though that was what Michael told himself six weeks ago and bimbo is still around. Groaning, he started putting the food in the fridge.  


If someone would, and they have, ask him why he hated Luke's girl, he couldn't give them a straight answer. He didn't know why he hated her, he just did. And that was a good enough reason for him. 

It all started six months ago when they all moved into this house together. They needed a bigger space for all their instruments while they try to make it big and since they all worked in the surrounding area, Ashton had the bright idea to find a house instead of them traveling from all four corners of London to practice on weekends.

Michael was the one who lived farthest away from Camden but still worked there so he kind of didn't think twice about moving in with three practically strange people. 

He met Ashton at work, he had found a job at a bar in Camden at the start of the summer and Ashton was the one assigned to help the new kid out. They hit it off pretty quick and when the older boy found out about Michael doing covers online, he invited him along to his bands jam session. That weekend he met Luke and Calum and after listening to them for three hours, Michael knew this was something he wanted to do. Only problem was, Luke and he just didn't get along. Calum once had said that if he thought it would help, he would lock Luke and Michael in a room so they can deal with their sexual frustration but he knew it would probably result in a few broken bones in both boys. Ashton almost had asked him to leave the band because of a fight he and Luke had gotten into. It was a week long fight, resulting in slashed tires, broken plates, bruised faces and a trip to the emergency room because Michael was convinced that Luke tried to push him down the stairs. After that he promised that he will be civil to the younger boy. And it was fine, as long as they were playing. As soon as the music stopped, the glaring started, the silent treatments. Calum and Ashton didn't know what to do but as long as they weren't trying to kill each other, they could deal with it.  


Then Luke had to go and get that girlfriend of his. Jamie or something. He didn't bother learning her name. After the second one, he realized that Luke never kept them around for too long. The second Michael met her, he disliked her. No idea why, just a feeling. 

"Hey" 

Michael turned around to the voice and nodded his head in greeting to Calum. "Hey"

The thing about Calum, Michael found, was that he never asked unnecessary questions. He just left you alone to deal with your shit. He saw Calum grab a drink from the fridge and then nodded again as he went back to the room. 

Michael scanned his eyes over the kitchen, seeing everything in its place and then decided to go to his room. He couldn't stay downstairs with /her/ there and even the other guys knew that. Which was probably why Luke had her around so much. 

Walking past the room, he didn't glance at the people, just continued up the stairs to his room, which by some hellish coincidence happened to be across from Luke's room. Which was fine, except for those early mornings when he's half asleep and opens his door at the same time as Luke does and the younger boy is wearing only his boxers who are semi tented. Of course they have all seen each other’s bodies half clothed; they're guys but somehow only Luke can get a reaction out of him. Probably because they can't stand each other. 

Reaching the upstairs, he went straight to the bathroom, and just as he pushed the door open, it was being pulled open from the other side and he was almost chest to chest with none other than Luke. The younger boy rolled his eyes to which Michael replied with a "Shut up, Hemmings" and pushed past him inside. Luke stepped out at the same time and the door was slammed shut. 

After washing his hands and face, Michel gripped the sides of the sink and starred at his reflection. "This is getting ridiculous" He told himself and sighed. 

Six months. That's how long Luke and him have been on the outs. Three months. That's how long they have been living together and if anything, things have become even worse. Before, Michael could just jump on the tube and go home and not see Luke for a week. Now that they lived together, well it wasn't like they could escape each other. They tried, but it seemed that the more they tried, the less it was happening.  


Sighing once more, he exited the bathroom and went to lay on his bed. Even when he was renting a room before, he had spent all his time in his room with his guitar in his hands and learning new songs. Now he was much better at it than before but only because he was on it any and every free moment he had. It had annoyed his previous housemates somewhat. 

Turning his head, his eyes fell on the guitar next to the bed and he sat up crossed legged and grabbed the instrument. Strumming his fingers over the strings lightly, just feeling it and letting it flow through him, Michael heard the front door shut. Turning his attention to the phone in front of him, he waited for the text from Ashton. He counted to five before his screen lit up and there it was. *Dinner?* said the text. At first Ash would say something like 'she's gone, you can come out of hiding' and Michael would go downstairs, grumbling how he wasn't doing any of that sort. Now, it was just a normal question about dinner because Luke's girl always left right before. Putting the guitar back down, he grabbed his phone and made his way downstairs to the kitchen where the other three boys were leaning around the place. 

"What are we having?" Michael asked entering. 

"Take out" Calum said. 

"Again?" Luke groaned. 

"If you want to cook, feel free to do so" Calum said, a small grim on his lips. "Michael went to the store today, there's probably something in the fridge you could use"

"Fine, let's order" Luke gave up with a shrug of his shoulders. 

It didn't even phase Michael no more. He chuckled, shaking his head and all eyes fell on him. 

"Something funny, Clifford?" Luke asked, pushing away from the side and taking steps closer to Michael. 

"Yeah, you, Hemmings" Michael replied, his head held high. He meant it when he said this was ridiculous, it had gone on for long enough. 

"Ok guys how about you don't?" Ashton was suddenly in between them, a palm on each of their chests, pushing them apart. "Mikey, let's go get the food"

Michael nodded, walking out after Ashton. Glancing back he saw Calum push a bottle of beer in Luke's hand and shake his head. He knew everyone was sick of their fighting but he didn't know how to stop it. Maybe he should just quit the band and move back out. That way he won't have to see Luke ever again. 

"What was that?" Ashton asked as they got into his car. 

"Nothing" Michael shrugged and sunk into the seat. As close as him and Ashton are, he still didn’t feel comfortable enough to talk to him about that problem. Luke knew Ashton longer and if it came down to it, they would all choose Luke. He hated to think that way but it was true. 

"Fine, don't tell me but it’s been long enough" Ashton kept his tone calm as they drove to the take away shop. 

Waiting for their order, Michael kept a blank stare out the window of the car. Why /did/ they hate each other so much? He could understand if he had done something to Luke or the other way around but they just started on the wrong foot and haven't been able to go back since. And he knew it wasn't because Michael was gay. Luke himself was bi, his toy before this one was a guy, whose name he also didn't remember. God, he's such an idiot! 

"Why are you an idiot?" Ashton asked getting back into the car and Michael's head flipped around. 

"What?"

"You were murmuring something when I opened the door. I only caught the end" 

"Just thinking"

Ashton didn't look like he believed him, he even opened his mouth to say something but then thought better of it and shrugged. 

When they arrived back home, Calum and Luke were on the couch playing FIFA, making Michael scoff. 

They set the plates and Chinese food containers on the table in the living room, pulling it closer to the sofa and telly so the boys could continue to play while they ate. Which, in Michael's mind was stupid. Either finish the game or pause it. Logic. 

Not much conversation passed while they ate, mostly because the two players kept shouting cuss words and when the food started flying, Michael ducked out to go to his room. 

He had a small smile across his lips as he entered his room once more and collapsed on his bed. He was knackered and he had to go to work tomorrow. He dug his phone out from his pocket and looked at the time. 9:30pm. He had to be at work at seven because Mondays meant early start and oh how he hated them. Rolling over to his back, he took a few deep breaths while thinking what he was going to wear tomorrow and all the plans after work before he realized that soon everyone will be needing the shower so he jumped off his bed and grabbed a towel of the hook on the door and almost ran to the bathroom at the end of the hall. Pausing at the door, he listened if anyone was in there as he didn't want a repeat of earlier. He wasn't sure he could refrain from punching Hemmings in the face. 

Finding the bathroom clear, Michael quickly jumped in and washed, wrapping the towel low on his hips. Opening the door, he narrowed his eyes as there stood Luke, his fist raised as if he was about to knock. 

"Stalking me much?" Michael said, arching a brow. 

Luke scoffed and stepped out of Michael's way, his eyes washing over the boy’s front quickly. "You wish, Clifford" Luke snapped back and closed the door behind him. 

Michael shrugged and went to his room. Only when he was on the brink of falling asleep did he realise that this was the only conversation in the space of five months where they weren't rude to each other. Michael concluded that Luke must have been drunk from earlier. 

~*~

Of all the days, why did he have to be late today? All month everything was going fine, but now? This annoyingly stupid Thursday morning, someone up there decides that Michael's like was too easy. First his alarm doesn't go off. Then all the hot water is gone, which isn't a big deal, its hot outside, he can deal with a cold shower if it wasn't for the fact that ten minutes into his walk to work, the heavens opened up and it started raining buckets and two minutes later Michael was soaked to the bone. He was already late so he couldn't run home to change and take an umbrella. 

Wrapping his arms around himself, he shivered but continued to work. Two minutes away from the door, he tripped and skinned his knee and wrist. He quickly got up and wincing finally made it into work only to be sent back home because he was flooding the bar area and the owner didn't want him to sneeze into any of the drinks by accident. So he made his way back, calling Ashton to apologise that he had to go to work on his off day because the universe decided its let's pick on Michael day. 

The rain and winds had picked up by the time he arrived home and he was shivering so much that he couldn't even put the key in the lock. Ringing the bell, he hoped someone was home to let him in as he was near tears already and if he stayed outside any longer, he was sure he was going to get hypothermia and die. Well, not really but when you're having that bad of a day, it wouldn't surprise him if that's exactly what would happen. 

The door swung open and he didn't wait to see who opened it, he rushed inside into the warmth. 

"What the -? Michael?" 

Michael was trying to take his wet boots off without leaving too many water puddles in his wake but his hands were shaking so much that it took him awhile to notice that someone had said his name. 

"Sorry, sorry, c-cold and wet a-and -" He stared to talk, trying to explain why he was such a mess. 

"Shut up, Clifford" At that his head snapped up, eyes wide at Luke. Shit! Why couldn't it had been Calum? "Come on, let's go get you dry" 

Michael was being dragged upstairs to the bathroom before he knew what was happening and then Luke was looking at him weirdly. 

"What-?" He tried to ask but Luke shot him a look and he closed his mouth. 

Luke started to pull his wet clothes off and Michael started to shiver even more, rubbing his hands over his arms. The younger boy noticed and turned the shower on to hot and as the room became warmer and steamed up, he quickly removed the rest of Michael's clothes until he was only in his boxers and socks. 

"Get in, warm up, I'll be back in five with dry clothes" Luke told him and pushed Michael into the shower before walking out with all his wet clothes.

Standing under the warm spray, his thoughts were a jumbled mess trying to rationalize why Luke was being so nice to him. Maybe when he fell, he hit his head resulting in all of this happening while he's in a coma. Yep, that's probably it. He's in a hospital and they put him in a coma because he has brain damage. But then why is he dreaming of a nice Hemmings? Nothing is making sense anymore. 

A knock scattered his thoughts as he turned to look who it was and almost laughed at Luke. He held a towel outstretched in his hand towards Michael and in the other he held some clothes that Michael was sure were Luke's and not his, while his eyes were looking anywhere but on him. 

Michael took the towel and wrapped it around him but then another was being wrapped around his shoulders and Luke was drying him off. As the towel around his hips stayed on, Luke pulled a top and a jumper over Michael's head which was far too big for him. So Luke was giving him his clothes. Strange, Michael though but didn't say anything. 

A pile of clothes were pushed into his arms and then Luke turned around and left. Michael looked down and blinked at the socks, boxers and jogging bottoms. Pulling the remaining clothes on, he hung the towels up to dry and opened the door. 

Luke was waiting for him on the other side. "How are you feeling? Better?" He asked.

Michael nodded, still unsure why Luke was being this way. "Why did -?" 

Luke interrupted his words with his own. "I don't know" Was all he said before grabbing Michael by the wrist and waking downstairs towards the sofa. 

He pushed Michael down into a laying down position and covered him with a blanket. 

"I could have stayed in my room" Michael said, huffing because three times already he attempted to get up but was being pushed back. 

"Can't keep an eye on you there" Luke said and sat in a chair on Michael's right.

He had to admit, if Luke hadn't done what he did, Michael would still be standing in the corridor drenched and freezing his ass off. So he didn't question too much of Luke's reasons for helping him. Who knows, perhaps he would have done the same if the tables had been switched around. 

Wrapped up in Luke's clothes and blanket, Michael felt warm and safe and soon he felt sleep tug at him and he welcomed the feeling of utter bliss, forgotten of all the day’s events. 

~*~

Things went back to normal after that day. Luke and Michael still couldn't be left alone in the same room for longer than three seconds before they started yelling at each other and Michael still refused to like Jamie. But it was Luke's party and he had to be there, mostly because it was happening in their house and he didn't have anywhere else to go to. 

So he walked around the groups of people, talked to some he recognised from work, ignored the others. He didn't care, he didn't like people and would only talk to some if they started talking to him first. He found a quiet corner in the garden, beer in hand as he pulled out a packet of smokes from the pocket. Michael didn't usually smoke, only when drinking and bored and he was both right now. Lighting up, he closed his eyes and turned towards the sky blowieang the smoke through his nose. This part of the garden was empty, no one came this far in the darkness and he was glad to have some peace and quiet. 

"Not interested" 

A familiar voice made him open his eyes and squint in the direction of where it came. Great, he comes Hemmings and his girl. Michael groaned but stayed where he was. 

"Come on, Lukey, I miss you" 

"And I don't care, get off me" 

"Why are you acting like this? Is it because of your housemate?" 

This was news to Michael, what had happened that he doesn't know about? He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, inhaling the cigarette smoke again and keeping his eyes on the couple. 

"This has nothing to do with him, so stop bringing it up" Luke turned to face Jamie, moving out of her arms so she stops kissing his neck. "Actually, I'll do you one better, it’s over"

Jamie laughed and shrugged, not really caring. "Fine, but you'll never find another like me, Luke" She said walking away. 

Michael scoffed. "That's the whole point" he whispered to himself.

"Clifford, is that you?" Luke asked, coming closer to where Michael was sitting. 

"No, its the other one" Michael said, taking a sip of his beer. 

Luke stood in front of him for a moment, just looking at him and Michael felt uneasy. It was the same look he saw when Luke was taking care of him. Michael held out the packet of cigarettes to Luke with a raised brow. Luke shook his head and took a seat next to Michael. The bench was quite small so the boys were pressed up next to each other. 

Maybe it was all the alcohol that was in his system, but Michael decided to ask Luke why he had been so nice to him that day. 

"I told you, I don't know" Luke said, rubbing the back of his neck. 

"That's bullshit and you know it, Hemmings" Michael rolled his eyes and finished his cigarette, flicking it away. 

"Not everything has to have a reason" 

"If you say so"

Michael stood up and left his half-finished beer on the ground by Luke's feet and followed the sounds of music. 

Back in the house the people were starting to thin out, he almost smiled knowing the party was almost over. 

Ashton and Calum were dancing drunk in the middle of the room and when they saw the dark haired boy, they pulled him towards them and all three then were dancing like complete idiots, laughing and almost falling over each other. 

"Luke!" Ashton called and Michael sobered up slightly as Luke joined them but wrapped his arms around Ashton and whispered something in his ear, earning a laugh from the older boy. 

Could this be what Jamie was talking about? Was Luke making the moves on Ashton? Which was completely fine with Michael, if it weren't for the fact that they all lived together and when Luke would be done with Ashton, what would happen to the band? He couldn't let that happen. 

Michael excused himself from the group and grabbed a bottle from the table, chugging it down. Flopping down on the sofa, he grabbed the game controller, and started a game but before long, someone sat next to him and joined the game. He could see from the corner of his eye that it was Luke and he groaned. Why is he everywhere he goes now? Usually they wouldn't be seen dead in the same room and now, since the incident, they were talking a little more civil to each other. And it was messing with his head. When they hated each other, he didn't have to think about how nice Luke's voice sounded when he talked. Or how his eyes shone this late at night as they looked into his yours. Or how his lips looked so perfect that Michael wanwa lean over and press his own against them to know if they were just as soft as they looked. And, wait what? Did he really just think that? Fuck! No, no, no. This couldn’t be happening. He couldn't like Luke. 

"I win!" Luke shouted from next to him and he realised that he had zoned out and lost the game. 

"Whatever, Hemmings" Michael grumbled and got up. "I'm going to bed"

~*~

Michael was curled in a ball on the couch downstairs his back towards the telly. No one was at home but him and him just gotten off the phone with his mom. He was feeling a little depressed because he hadn't seen his mom in a while, busy with work and the band and now she was going to go away for a month and he won't be able to see her even more, so he decided that today was a good day to feel sorry for himself. 

When Ashton came home, he told him a little about what had happened and the blonde boy left him to wallow in peace. Calum and Luke came home and he knew the boys looked like wanted to ask what happened but then Ashton pulled them away and he was left alone. They knew that sometimes he just needed his space. But also not really, which was why he was on the couch and not in his room with the door locked. 

The others had noticed the change in how Michael and Luke were with each other but never asked, probably out of fear that it will set the boys off and another war will break out between them. 

"Mikey, food, what do you want, I'm going shop?" Ashton asked him later and he was half asleep. 

"Burgers" he replied sleepily. 

He felt Ashton pat him on the shoulder twice and then left. He assumed the other two boys went with him as the silence in the house was almost deafening. 

Before he knew it, tears were sliding down his face and he was trying to be as quiet as possible so he could hear when they would return. 

Suddenly two arms went around him and he was being pulled against someone's chest before said someone sat down on the couch and still held him close. A blanket was pulled over both of them and Michael recognized Luke's smell. He tried to move out of Luke's hold, but the taller boy held him tight. 

"Shh, it’s ok" Luke whispered and Michael relaxed after a while. 

He nuzzled his nose in Luke's neck, liking the way he smelled and felt Luke stiffen under him. Oh god, oh god, oh god. He was sitting in Luke's lap with his arms around him and Luke was just being a good friend and Michael went and ruined it all by acting like some love sick puppy nuzzling into his neck. What was he thinking? Michael waited for Luke to either push him away or ask what the fuck he was doing with bated breath but nothing came. Instead Luke started running his hands all over Michael's arms and back, calming him down. 

They didn't talk and he wasn't sure what this meant or how long they had been sitting like this but he must have fallen asleep because he heard Ashton and Calum come in and pause when they saw them. 

"What the hell?" Ashton asked, seeing the two enemies almost curled up together on the couch. 

"Beats me but at least they are both unharmed" Calum whispered back. "I was half expecting them yelling at each other when we came back"

"So did I, that's why I didn't want to leave Luke here but ... What is this?"

"Whatever it is, it better continue. Luke needs to calm his shit and figure out what he wants. I'm not living with these two if he fucks it up"

"I'm pretty sure if Luke fucks it up, Michael will kill him." Ashton said and they went to the kitchen. "Fucking finally" 

Michael was confused why they were talking like this. Wasn't Luke and Ashton like a thing? Or soon to be thing? Why didn't Ashton wake them up and pull Michael away from Luke. Better question, why did Luke tighten his arms around him when he heard the boys come back and why did they both pretend to be asleep?


End file.
